In the decade that has recently passed, technologies for digital storage and transmission of data have revolutionized the national economy. Business and private homes are now increasingly connected to the Internet and other elements of the information infrastructure, using these connections for commerce, communication and leisure.
Initially, a large number of businesses and consumers obtained access to the Internet through dial-up connections through the telephone network, to an Internet service provider. Unfortunately, the communication speed of such a connection is currently limited to less than 56 kilobits per second (kbps). As applications of digital communication technologies have emerged, businesses and consumers have desired connections providing ever-greater communication speeds. In response to the resulting demand, high speed access technologies have been introduced, including digital subscriber line (DSL) services available through telephone utilities, digital cable services available through cable television companies, and digital satellite services using a digital satellite television network to deliver Internet content in response to requests from subscribers received over a standard telephone line connection.
While these high speed access technologies have been well received, each is available only to a limited number of customers. Particularly, DSL services are available only to those businesses and consumers in areas where telephone systems have been upgraded for digital operation. Digital cable service is available only to areas serviced by a cable television company that has made a similar investment in digital cable equipment. Digital satellite systems are theoretically available to every customer within the footprint of the transponders of the satellite; however, the satellite itself is a limited resource and thus can only service a limited number of subscribers.
There exists a need, therefore, for a methodology providing high speed access to digital content, that is available on a broad basis, particularly to those businesses and consumers that are not adequately serviced by existing technologies, such as businesses and consumers in rural areas.